Cave Giants

davidryle

"A live performance with the 5U large format modular synthesizer.

Starting with an Encore Electronics frequency shifter and Yusynth Arp 4072 filter. Modulations to the frequency shifter from a Sputnik WCRS, and an Ian Fritz DDVCO in harmonic sequence mode.

The bass sequence is driven by the STG Soundlabs suite with two VMS and one TMS, a pair of EG's, a Switch module and the Time Divider. Clock timing from Cubase via dinsync to the Time Buffer. Four synthesizers.com Q106's into a Q150 transistor ladder filter and an Oakley SVF.

The melodic sequence is a pair of Q960 sequencers to a pair of Q106's through an STG Sea Devils filter and Q107 SVF.

The percussive tick sound is a Sputnik voltage controlled slope.

Delays and reverbs include Behringer DD400's, Empress reverb, Strymon Blue Sky, Electro Harmonix Canyon, TipTop DSP with Valhalla Shimmer and Modcan 73B.'

Tarantula Train

Published on Nov 11, 2013 davidryle·134 videos

Listen to this one in stereo if you can.

"Trying to get a conceptual grasp of MakeNoise Maths.

The clock source is an SSL TTLFO to a Moon 554 divider then on to various trigger and voltage sequencers. The Maths CH4 input and CH4 trigger are from this setup. CH1 input is
from an Ardcore OX which is used for many more gates through out the patch.

I use the Maths as an EG as well as a way to gate the background sounds with the OR output. CH4 output is removed from the SUM and sent to CH1 Rise. The CH4 buffered multiple Out is sent to an LPG noise tic. and the SUM is sent to another LPG and Oakley VCADSR for the bass line.

Tweaking the CH1 Rise and CH4 Fall rates is the main thing but also the CH3 input is a tap off the WCRS quantized random voltage and adds some interest to the opening of the CH1 bass envelope. Further wiggling of the other slope knobs and occasionally engaging the loop functions is done for added experiments.

A variety of reverbs, delays and feedback loops are employed along with a slow modulating frequency shifter on the background tones. A pan module and stereo delay outputs from the modular make for some 3D imaging."

Ashes on the western wind

davidryle

"I am using the 5U large format modular along with the Korg Wavestate to perform a real time studio recording.
The crux of the idea was to use the Q119 step sequencer to control the voltage-select outputs of the STG Soundlabs Switch module. The main step sequence is from the Synthetic Sound Labs Mini Sequencer.

I also used the Q123 Standards module from synthesizers.com to transpose interval shifts to some of the oscillator pitches. The drone over the top of them made for some mode changes which I liked.

The kick drum and paper snare sounds were gate triggered from the Q963 Trigger Bus.

A blend of the other STG Switch outputs are layered and sent through a Modcan dual delay for the main sequence line. A trigger mini-store controls an Oakley VCADSR envelope timing from these outputs. Decay and Sustain stages of the Oakley are controlled by rows from the Q960 sequencers.

Some of the sine wave pitched drones in the background are also tapped from rows of the Q960's. Their gate envelopes are managed by the Moon 563 Trigger sequencer and a few channels of the SSL Octal VCA and Expander.
Sound sources are Q106's, Dove Waveplane, SSL DDVCO and S1200 vco. The final signal train is through the Yusynth Arp 4072 low pass filter.

The Wavestate is played by hand with a patch I constructed called Malachite Temple.

Everything is summed to three channels on a Mackie mixer and recorded direct to Cubase. Video editing done in Final Cut Pro."

DotDomRatchetSequence1

YouTube via davidryle
"Synthesizers.com Q960 sequencer with Q963 and Q128 modules ratchet sequence."

First Frost

davidryle

"A generative melodic project on the 5U modular synth.
A pair of synthesizers.com Q960 step sequencers in 3rd row control of timing provide staggered phrases. Each phrase is independent clock though closely timed. The drift is important to the interaction. One phrase is eight steps and the other is five steps. A pair of LFO's set some switch modules to introduce a new loop point at random times, further diversifying the patterns.
A random gate module from Yusynth (Yves Usson design) is employed to pick when auxiliary voices will sample from the step sequencers.
The first sound is a single Q106 triangle wave to the Synthetic Sound Labs digital delay, STG Soundlabs Sea Devils filter and Oakley Sound Systems SV filter in high pass. It then is run through the SSL Tube VCA/Timbral Gate. The random gates module sets when a pitch is sampled from the Q960's.
The second sound is the bass voice from the Dove Audio WTF vco into a Q150 Ladder Filter from Synthesizers.com. The same random gates module again selects when a voltage is picked from the Q960's.
The third pair of melodic lines are a pair of STG oscillators through the tube vca again. This pair are following the Q960's exactly.
A final voice is a Q106A vco with a PWM and triangle waves selected by the SSL Segwencer module before sending them to the Empress Reverb pedal. This time a pair of sequential switch outputs from the STG Switch determine which of the four outputs from the Q960's will send a voltage to a dotcom S&H then on to a Slew Generator.
Final effects were a Behringer 3rd Dimension BBD-320, a chorus delay from the TC Electronic s D-Two and a Lexicon MX200 in hall reverb state."

Hi Leg Smoke

Published on Dec 14, 2014 davidryle

"5U and 3U modular real time recording."

STG LFO Sync Test

Published on Nov 15, 2019 davidryle

"Suit and Tie Guy Envelope Generator in LFO A mode. This thing loops in SYNC mode with the other sync bus modules to give a wonderfully musical performance tool for rhythm and phrasing.

I used an Ian Fritz DDUVCO and Synthetic Soundlabs VCO throughan Ian Fritz 5 Pulser for the sound sources. An STG Soundlabs Post Lawsuit Filter was used on the SSL vco and a synthesizers.com Q150 ladder filter was used for the DDUVCO part.

A pair of Lexicon dual delays (MX200) added some tape delay DSP effects to the final signal.

The entire STG Soundlabs module suite can be bought from stgsoundlabs.com Check it out!"

Forever Ending

Published on Nov 27, 2016 davidryle

"Roland System 8, D-50, Waldorf MicroWave XT and loads of 3U and 5U modular. Multi-tracked in Cubase. Video edited in Final Cut Pro."

The First Fire

Published on Jan 1, 2018 davidryle

"The Promethean Chord. Six oscillators stacked three ways and sequenced with two Q960's. Another trio of notes sequenced with the Q119. The bass line is sequenced from the Metropolis. Fast looping sequences from the STG Suite. Drums sequenced from Grids and 4MS RCD. A played line with the OB6."

Groaning Seq DotCom

YouTube via davidryle
"The Synthesizers.com (Arrick) modular on a drunken bent. Slew limiting and a Lexicon delay with a Small Stone phase shifter makes fun, fun, fun!"

SciFi Seq DotCom

"Hypertensive DotCom (Arrick) modular through a delay."

RandomQ960

YouTube via davidryle
"Randomizing the timing to the Synthesizers.com Q960 step sequencer by using a Noise Generator into a Sample & Hold then the output voltage to an Instrument Interface module. Tweak it just right and you get a random gate pulse for the shift input on the Q960 sequencer.
This track also uses the Pan module to give a stereo ping pong effect from two separate oscillator, filter, envelope and amplifier voices. Two hard synchronized LFO's sculpted the filter even more for a tighter pulse sound. A Ring modulator and tuning the oscillator voices in octaves gave a variety to the voices. The Trigger bus module gave accent selection on one filter voice. All modules are Arrick Robotics synthesizers.com. The reverb is a Lexicon MX200."

The Eternal Expanse

Published on Jul 31, 2017 davidryle

"Trying my hand at building choir sounds with various synthesizers.

The opening part is a JV-1080 mellotron choir. Then I built a soprano 'banshee' style choral sound with heavily modulated vco's from the Mos Lab 901 trio into the 904-A filter, an Encore frequency shifter and Behringer DD400 delay.

I introduce some noise from the Sputnik WCRS and a Q110. The drone synth part is next from the Prophet '08 with a stacked fast eighth note pattern in the background. Then I played the chord progression from the System 8 as a controller to the OB-6 and JV-1080. The melody over the top is the Deepmind 12 and Erebus.

Finally I bring up the last chorus part from the 5U modular. This is formed from a pair of Q960 step sequencers playing two patterns of three vco's each through a Moogah SEM filter. It is sent to a Modcan 73B dual delay in flange/chorus mode modulated by a Yusynth quadrature LFO. The audio signal from the filter is routed through the Strymon Blue Sky reverb in mod/plate mode before going to the delay.
The loud boom is the Waldorf MicroQ."

Serge1973VCF Demo

Published on Jul 9, 2014 davidryle

"A MOTM format build of the famous Serge 1973 VCF. This is a Ken Stone pcb from Cat Girl Synth and is numbered CGS77.

The additions are the Hi and Lo Q resonance settings and a "low frequency" mode for slew of control voltages (DC).

The panel graphic maintains the Serge philosophy with a printed paper laminate on a metal panel. The obvious difference is the MOTM (Synthesis Technology) format.

This demo only demonstrates the 2 pole -12dB Low Pass mode. The filter also has a -6dB band pass and -12dB high pass mode which are very nice as well.

There are some background voices which I decided to include for temporal flavor. Everything is from the modular synthesizer except the echo delays which are a Lexicon and T.C. Electronic rack units after the modular.

Thanks to Ken Stone at CGS
http://www.cgs.synth.net"

Canon de Coulomb

davidryle

"Two Q960 step sequencers running independent, free tempos and using the 3RD ROW CONTROL OF TIMING setting. Both are duplicating the same timing voltages and the first row pitch voltages. The second row is a little different on two steps. Of course the drift between them is obvious and I am changing the reset and skip switches as they play. The oscillators are STG and they are run into a Synthetic Sound Labs 1530 Tube VCA/Timbral Gate module for tube saturation. Then run through a Sea Devils filter and tape delay.
The bass notes are from the Dove Audio WTF vco through a Synthesizers.com Q150 transistor ladder filter in 24dB slope. The "siren call" upper sound is a pair of Q106 vco's sequenced by STG Soundlabs voltage mini stores and run through a Post Lawsuit LPF. The final signal chain is a Meris Hedra and Empress Reverb."

Quanah Parker at Half Moon

Published on Aug 28, 2013 davidryle·119 videos

"modular synthesizer recording."

Cottontail

Published on Oct 30, 2016 davidryle

"Large format modular and Eurorack modular with a looping sequence from the Roland System 8.

The System 8 is sending cv and gate info to a Mutable Instruments Rings and Clouds to generate the very last 8th triplet bell sequence sound. That is doubled with the S8 patch in the modular and sent through a Modcan Dual Delay. The timing for the sequence comes from the Suit & Tie Guy Time Divider to the trigger input of the keyboard.

Everything else is clocked from a midi to dinsync signal into the Pamela's Workout divider. The 4MS Quad Clock Divider, Moon Modular Octal Clock Divider, Intellijel Plog and a Dotcom Q962 Sequential Switch are used to generate other timings.

The main bass line sequence is a Q960 in 5 step pattern, row switched through a Q962. The sounds are the Mos Lab 901 suite through a 904 filter and STG digital attenuators.

The secondary upper sequence is a pair of STG Soundlabs Voltage Mini Stores which again are row switched in a five step pattern through a Malekko switch module. The sound source is The Harvestman Piston Honda mk1 into a Music Thing Spring reverb and TipTop Z-DSP with Clocked Delays chip. AR timing is from an Intellijel Quadra+Expander to an MST Dual VCA.

Both of these sequence patterns are transposed with a dotcom Q119 sequencer. Timing for the change is from a Q173 Gate Maths.

Kick sound is a Sputnik VCS through an Oakley VC State Variable Filter and timing from a Moon Modular 562 Trigger Sequencer. Noise swashes are Sputnik WCRS through an Synthetic Sound Labs Segwencer IV into an STG mixer and on through a Jurgen Haible Tau Pipe Phaser. Additional filtering was through a dotcom Q150 and Q107.

The last sequence is from an Intellijel Metropolis to an Ian Fritz and SSL Double Deka Ultrasonic VCO. The VCO is sent through a MOTM 440 LPF and a SSL Steiner Filter (high pass) on through a dotcom EG and Behringer DD400 digital delay. It is then sent to a Strymon Blue Sky reverb in plate shimmer mode. The MOTM 440 filter is frequency modulated by a bank B output of the DDVCO through an Encore pitch shifter.

Recorded in Cubase in one pass. Video edited in Final Cut Pro. Text title made in Motion."

Ceres

Published on Mar 9, 2015 davidryle

"A generative patch on the modular synthesizer."

Rescue Poole

Published on Apr 21, 2018 davidryle

"Taking inspiration from a sonar rescue sequence in a 50 year old film.

The sliding ping sound (approaching the target) features the STG Soundlabs Envelope Generator and Sidecar module. I am using a slow LFO with a ramp wave to the T1 input which controls the delay of the envelope. There are three timed gates. One is from the source LFO which fires the envelope initially and makes the FM/Sync sound. The other two (low ping and high ping) are from the EG T1 and T4 stages. Panning is with a Q111 pan module from synthesizers.com.

The original film sounds are much less complicated and only two sounds are used to create the sonar effect. In this example I used three sounds but the idea is the same in general."

Blue Eyes and a Bob

YouTube Uploaded by davidryle on Oct 17, 2011

"A first rough draft of an idea using a newly bought Moon Modular 563 Trigger Sequencer and the 554 Octal Divider. I used the 553 Midi to Clock module to handle reset/start/stop functions on the 563 and 554. The main clock timing was from Cubase with midi.

The entire piece was a live take with the modular except for the melodic line which was a midi track from a session the night before. It was a megatron patch from MTron played by Cubase midi at the time of the live recording.

The 554 was sending shift gates to the Q960, Q119 and STG sequencers as well as the 563 and some switches for selecting double beats for the bassline. Row switching of the sequencers was handled by a Random Gates (Yusynth) module and various switches. Two suboscillators (CGS01) were used for bass crunch and portions of the percussion sounds.

The bass line voice was fun. It was 2 Q106's with a triangle wave to an Ian Fritz 5 Pulser as well as various waveforms routed through an Oakley SVF. The SVF was frequency swept by an LFO and it's LP output was sent through a CGS01 along with a sine from another Q106 to pick up a few sub-octaves with the Ring Modulation feature and summed with the notch output from the SVF before blended with the 5 Pulser signal. Lots of slowly changing timbres."

Hammer Blow

davidryle

"Echo Fix EF-X2 tape delay experiment with a more rhythmic sequencer parts.
All of it generated from the 5U large format modular. What I find especially appealing from the delay is the way it blends in without stomping all over the source signal. Also the steady nature of the new high quality drive motor and tape shuttle is evident when turning off the motor and starting it up again. No glitching from the mode knob when changing through head taps. All in all I think the Echo Fix is the best tape delay ever built. The reverb is a mix of true spring and the digital delay. Besides the Echo Fix the only other gear outside the 5U is the Canyon delay in Octave mode for the rapid slap kick coming from the Sputnik Voltage Controlled Slope module."